Regional Junior and Cadet Circuit (RJCC, RCC, RJC)

Updated on October 12, 2022 to reflect changes in the Athlete Handbook 2022/2023 released on October 4, 2022

Fencing a Junior Men's Foil bout at RJCC in Thousand Oaks, California

The RJCC, RCC and RJC are popular regional qualifying paths to the fencing Junior Olympics championship and Summer Nationals/July Challenge for Junior and Cadet events.

See How to Qualify for Fencing Junior Olympics in 2023 in Denver

See How to Qualify for the 2023 Fencing Summer Nationals Championship and July Challenge in Phoenix.

Fencers earn regional points in Juniors and Cadet when they compete in RJCCs, RCCs and RJCs held in their home region. The winner earns 100 points. Points are then awarded on a sliding scale to the remaining field. While fencers are free to fence RJCC events outside of their home region, they will not earn regional points.

See Region Map HERE to determine your home region.

RJCCs are organized by local fencing clubs. They are sanctioned events, meaning that the organizer is required to strictly adhere to US Fencing tournament rules, and fencers must have US Fencing competitive memberships to participate.

There are numerous RJCCs organized around the country throughout the fencing season. They are timed to assist fencers earn crucial regional qualifying points for the Junior Olympics in February and the July Challenge in the summer.

See the complete list of RJCCs for 2022/2023 HERE

In addition to regional points at a RJCC, fencers can earn rating classifications when USFA event rating requirements are met.

For many teenage fencers, the RJCC is not only a venue to earn regional points, it is also great competition practice for those who aspire to earn national points at NACs, Junior Olympics and the July Challenge. The opportunity to renew or improve a rating classification is an added attraction of competing in an RJCC.

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Qualifying for junior olympics 2023 with regional points

A fencer must earn a minimum of 110 regional points (total from 2 best results) for the relevant event at an RJCC to qualify for that event in the Junior Olympics.

The 110 regional points (total of 2 best results) to qualify for an event at Junior Olympics 2023 must be earned at RJCCs in the fencer's home region during the period immediately after the close of the regular entry deadline for JOs 2022 and the close of the regular entry fee deadline for JOs 2023.

For example, a fencer in Region 2 plans to qualify for Junior Olympics in the Cadet Women's Epee event. She can only accumulate qualifying regional points by fencing in Region 2 RJCC Cadet Women's Epee events held immediately after the close of the regular entry deadline for Junior Olympics event 2022 and the close of the regular entry fee deadline for Junior Olympics 2023.

Trickle down effect

When a fencer accumulates 110 regional points in a junior event for a specific weapon and qualifies in the junior event, then that fencer, if age eligible, is also qualified to fence in the relevant cadet event. For example, if a fencer accumulates 110 regional points to qualify for the Junior Women's Foil event at Junior Olympics, then that fencer, if age eligible, is also qualified to fence the Cadet Women's Foil event at Junior Olympics, without earning the requisite qualifying regional points in Cadet Women's Foil.

See the 2022/2023 Regional Points List HERE

Qualifying for july challenge 2022 with regional points

Aa fencer must earn a total of 65 regional points (total of 2 best results) to qualify for the relevant event in the July Challenge.

The 65 regional points (total of 2 best results) from relevant RJCC events in the home region must be earned during the period starting August 1 immediately after Summer Nationals to the close of the regular entry fee deadline for Summer Nationals the following year.

For example, a fencer in Region 2 plans to qualify for Summer Nationals 2022/2023 in the Cadet Women's Epee event. She can only accumulate qualifying regional points by fencing in Region 2 RJCC Cadet Women's Epee events held between August 1, 2022, and the close of the regular entry fee deadline for Summer Nationals 2022/2023.

Trickle down effect

When a fencer accumulates 65 regional points in a junior event for a specific weapon and qualifies in the junior event, then that fencer, if age eligible, is also qualified to fence in the relevant cadet event. For example, if a fencer accumulates 65 regional points to qualify for the Junior Women's Foil event at Summer Nationals, then that fencer, if age eligible, is also qualified to fence the Cadet Women's Foil event at Summer Nationals, without earning the requisite qualifying regional points in Cadet Women's Foil.

See the 2022/2023 Regional Points List HERE

OVERLAPPING PERIODS FOR EARNING regional points at RJCC

As you can see from the points accumulation periods for Junior Olympics and the July Challenge, there are overlapping periods where points earned can be counted towards qualifications for either or both tournaments.

The Junior Olympics regional points accumulation period starts immediately after the close of regular entry fee deadline (early January each year) for Junior Olympics and ends on the close of the regular entry fee deadline for Junior Olympics the following year (in early January).

The July Challenge regional points accumulation period starts on August 1 each year and ends at the close of the regular entry fee deadline (in mid-May) for Summer Nationals in the following year.

Example

The regular fee deadline for Junior Olympics 2022 was on January 12, 2022. Any regional points earned by a fencer after January 12, 2022 accumulate towards qualification for July Challenge 2022 and Junior Olympics 2023.

Fencer A earns regional Junior points at 2 RJCCs, one in February 2022 and another in April 2022 accumulating a total of 140 points. With these points, Fencer A qualifies for the July Challenge 2022 (she needs 65 points to qualify) and she also qualifies for Junior Olympics 2023 (she needs 110 points to qualify).

To qualify for July Challenge 2023, Fencer A must earn 65 regional points between August 1 2022 and the close of regular entry fee deadline for Summer Nationals 2023. For Fencer A, the regional points accumulation period for Junior Olympics 2023 starts immediately after January 12, 2022, which was the regular entry fee deadline for Junior Olympics 2022.

age eligibility for RJCCs (Prior to regular entry fee deadline for Junior Olympics 2023)

Cadet Age Eligibility - born 2006 to 2009. Fencers born after 2009 must be on the Y14 National Points List

Junior Age Eligibility - born 2003 to 2009. Fencers born after 2009 must be on the Cadet National Points List

See the US Fencing Age Eligibility chart HERE

age eligibility for RJCCs (after regular entry fee deadline for Junior Olympics 2023)

Cadet Age Eligibility - born 2007 to 2010. Fencers born after 2010 must be on the Y14 National Points List

Junior Age Eligibility - born 2004 to 2010. Fencers born after 2010 must be on the Cadet National Points List

See the US Fencing Age Eligibility chart HERE

Note: Fencers aging out after the Junior Olympics may still compete in RJCCs held between the regular entry fee deadline and the Junior Olympics. However, they will not be eligible to earn any regional points for the category they are aging out of.

citizenship Requirements for RJCCs

There are no citizenship requirements to fence in an RJCC.

There are also no citizenship requirements to fence at the July Challenge.

However, only US citizens and permanent residents can fence in the championship events at Junior Olympics, foreign fencers cannot do so even if they meet the regional points or national points criteria.